Lead Free Glassware Options

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When outfitting your kitchen, you may have a lot of questions, such as: Does glass used in cookware, dinnerware or storage containers contain lead? Does it leach other heavy metals such as aluminum and cadmium? Is glassware the safest material? These are very good questions. Let’s try to answer them and go over some lead free glassware options.

First, it is important to know that there are different types of glass material. Typical glass is called soda lime glass. And Pyrex glass storage containers and glass baking dishes are made with soda lime glass. Pyrex was acquired by World Kitchen in 1998.

Lead Free Glassware Composition

I called and emailed World Kitchen and, unfortunately, they do not disclose the materials with which their soda lime glass is made. They recommended searching on the Internet, which I did and my blog came up (which I found extremely illuminating) (just kidding, kind of).

And according to Wikipedia, “soda-lime glass is prepared by melting the raw materials, such as sodium carbonate (soda), lime, dolomite, silicon dioxide(silica), aluminium oxide (alumina), and small quantities of fining agents (e.g., sodium sulfate, sodium chloride) in a glass furnace at temperatures locally up to 1675 °C.”

Before 1998, Pyrex was made of borosilicate glass by Corning. European Pyrex, called Pyroflam, is still made of borosilicate glass, which is more heat resistant. However, when it is dropped, it shatters into tiny particles instead of breaking into pieces.

According to Wikipedia, borosilicate Pyrex is composed of the following (as a percentage of weight): 4.0% boron, 54.0% oxygen, 2.8% sodium, 1.1% aluminum, 37.7% silicon, and 0.3% potassium.

Does glassware leach aluminum?

As you might have noticed, both types of glasses contain small amounts of aluminum. I do not have much information on how much aluminum leaches into food. I found two studies here and here that pointed to the fact that trace amounts of aluminum can leach into the contents.

I wish I could hear from the makers of Pyrex themselves about the composition of Pyrex glass and what may be leaching.

In the meantime, I am not very concerned about the possibility of aluminum leaching. I have a feeling if there is any leaching, the amounts should be minimal. Unlike lead, which has no safe amounts, our bodies can tolerate bigger amounts of aluminum before it becomes toxic. I have had challenge heavy metal tests done twice, and no aluminum was found in my body either time, and we use Pyrex all the time.

On the other hand, I have elevated amounts of lead stored in my body over the years, so I am very concerned about exposure to materials containing lead. So let’s talk about lead.

Leaded Crystal Glass

Lead is not part of glass composition. The only type of glass that is known to be made with lead is leaded crystal. Lead is used to impart the crystal effect. Leaded crystal is used to make wine decanters. This study found that storing wine in them for one day would pose a hazard. I would not store wine in them at all. I do not think the study took into consideration that lead accumulates in the body and there are multiple ways we can be exposed to lead that we can’t control.

Lead in Colored Glass

Colored glass or glass with something painted on it may contain lead or cadmium. For example, Tamara Rubin, the founder of the Lead Safe America Foundation, tested a Pyrex measuring cup and found elevated levels of lead in the painted markings on the outside.

Tamara also tested newer blue Ball mason jars and found some lead in them. However, she found that Ball is the most consistently lead-free brand. Thus, when using mason jars, it is best to use clear plain glass without any painted features, and I recommend the Ball brand.

Based on my research and the results of Tamara’s tests, please find a list of glass products that I recommend.

Lead Free Glassware Options

Lead free Glassware Dinnerware

Corelle plates and bowls are made in the USA with Vitrelle® glass. Mugs are made in China with stoneware. While World Kitchen assured me that all their products are tested for heavy metals and were found to comply with California’s Prop. 65 limits, they would not show me the proof of that. Tamara Rubin tested Corelle plates, bowls, and mugs and found some lead in the mugs.

I recommend when buying plates and bowls that you go for plain without painted decorations, which may contain lead or cadmium. Unfortunately, at this point, the dinnerware industry is not very transparent.

These are the Ball Mason jars we use for drinking and storing food. Make sure you wash and wipe lids to avoid rusting, but do not put them in the dishwasher, and do not let food or liquid touch the lid as the lids may contain BPA or other bisphenol chemicals.

Lead-Free Glassware Cookware

Visions cookware is made of glass ceramic. The cookware is made in France and the lids are made in China. The ceramic component of the glass makes it withstand extreme temperatures and be used on a stove top. The Natural Baby Mama tested Visions cookware for lead and cadmium with XRF technology and found none. According to her, older cookware, about 10 years old, contained heavy metals. Also, one of my blog readers shared her experience with nickel poisoning that she believed came from Visions cookware. They had used a vintage version. I am not saying that the software caused nickel poisoning. I am just passing along the comment without adding to it.

We have not used Visions yet. If you do, please share your experience in the comments.

Tess

Hmm… I asked my husband to open it on his computer at work and he can see the pictures. I can also see them on my iphone. Have you tried refreshing the page? Thank you for bringing this to my attention though. ~Irina

Tess, the reason you are experiencing this issue is that you might have AdBlocker installed in your browser or you may not be using the most updated version of your favorite browser. Your hosting service can be creating the issue. In any event, above every picture, I added a hyperlink you can click on to take you to Amazon. ~Irina

MD

Glass drinking straws would be another good item to add to your list of recommendations in this post. I just purchased a set today, prior to reading this post, made by a company called Hummingbird glass straws that are supposedly made in the US. There was also another company called Dharma but they are quite expensive.

Maria

Rocio Gow

We use borosilicate glass containers, glass,cups,tea pot, cooking pot, casserole, all we can find! (Simax is the best/europe) because my thinking is that if the labs use them must be because they are resistant to all! :)… is it true that Pyrex change the Boron ingredient for soda lime because is cheap?… I broke a borosilicate glass and like you say it shatters into tiny particles instead of breaking into pieces, and didn’t cut my self because the pieces are not sharp, ease to take it with vacuum…
Thank you Irina !!!

Martie

I am just loving all your recommendations Irina! Been adding almost everything to my Amazon wish list. I am looking into the Anchor Hocking glass food storage containers and I just wanted to find out what your opinion is on them, as I know you use the Pyrex ones? Curious to know what you think…

These are good ones, too, Martie! Please make you sure you use my Amazon affiliate link to make your purchases on Amazon. I get credit when you buy anything, not only products featured on my website. Thank you! ~Irina